Strictly Come Dancing contestant Cach Mercer sparked confusion among viewers after accidentally revealing that he had secured a place in week four before the results show had aired.
The 25-year-old Love Island winner shared a now-deleted video of himself celebrating in his dressing room after filming the results.
In the clip, Mercer appeared delighted with the outcome and captioned his post: “Made it through to another week, Praise God!”
However, the announcement did not go unnoticed by fans, who quickly pointed out that the results had not yet been broadcast.
“It’s not even on yet!” one viewer commented, while another asked: “You do know the results aren’t out yet?”
Mercer subsequently removed the video after realising his mistake.
Love Island Star Earns His Highest Strictly Score Yet
Mercer and his professional dance partner, Maddie Ingoldsby, performed their Couple’s Choice routine during Saturday night’s show.
The pair danced to RAYE’s Beware.. The South London Lover Boy, delivering an energetic performance that featured plenty of movement and visual flair.
However, the judges were divided in their assessment of the routine.
Craig Revel Horwood criticised its structure, describing it as “too stop-and-start”, while Motsi Mabuse felt the performance “needs more polish”.
Anton Du Beke was more enthusiastic, admitting that he “liked it a lot”.
Despite the mixed reactions, Mercer and Ingoldsby achieved their highest score of the competition so far, collecting an impressive 31 points.
Melanie Walters Becomes the Second Contestant Eliminated
While Mercer celebrated his survival, Melanie Walters became the second celebrity to leave the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The Gavin and Stacey actress, 64, found herself in the dance-off after scoring 17 points for her Saturday night performance.
She faced former professional footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and his dance partner, Alexis Warr, who had finished at the bottom of the leaderboard with 15 points.
Both couples returned to the dance floor to perform their routines again before the judges delivered their verdict.
Walters performed her Charleston to Gina G’s Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit, but the judges ultimately decided that Wright-Phillips and Warr deserved to remain in the competition.
Motsi Mabuse voted to save Walters, but Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke all chose Wright-Phillips and Warr, securing their place in the next round.
Walters Fights Back Tears During Emotional Farewell
Walters appeared close to tears as she reflected on her departure from the competition.
“Well, to tell you the truth, I thought I was going to be out last week, so I have had an extra week with this wonderful soul,” she said, paying tribute to her professional partner, Aljaž Škorjanec.
Škorjanec also struggled to find the right words as he addressed the actress following their elimination.
“It is difficult to put into words, but if I was going to say something profound and beautiful it wasn’t going to be looking like this,” he said.
He went on to praise Walters for her professionalism, commitment and willingness to work hard throughout their time together.
“Look, you are an ultimate professional at what you do and that’s why you are so successful in what you do and you showed me what hard work really is,” Škorjanec said.
The professional dancer recalled how they had begun each rehearsal day with the words, “Partner, let’s have the best day ever.”
He added: “So let’s finish this with a hug and thank you for every single bit in rehearsals and every single step on that floor. Thank you.”
The pair subsequently returned to the dance floor for one final twirl before Walters wished the remaining contestants well.
Meet the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Contestants
The 2026 line-up features celebrities from television, music, sport and social media, including:
- Lacey Turner, 38: EastEnders actress known for playing Stacey Slater.
- Delta Goodrem, 41: Singer and former Neighbours star.
- Cach Mercer, 25: Love Island 2025 winner and TikTok influencer.
- Dame Sarah Storey, 48: Britain’s most successful Paralympian.
- Bethany Antonia, 28: House of the Dragon actress who plays Lady Baela Targaryen.
- Graeme ‘The Dogfather’ Hall, 59: Presenter of Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly.
- Tabby Stoecker, 25: Olympic champion skeleton racer.
- Melanie Walters, 64: Gavin & Stacey actress who played Gwen West.
- Dani Dyer, 30: Love Island winner and daughter of actor Danny Dyer.
- Chris Appleton, 43: Celebrity hairstylist to stars including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez.
- Will Best, 41: Television presenter and Big Brother host.
- Jaime Winstone, 41: Actress known for Kidulthood and Tomb Raider.
- Shaun Wright-Phillips, 44: Former Chelsea and Manchester City footballer.
- Lawrence Robb, 34: Emmerdale actor who plays Mackenzie Boyd.
- John Nellis, 33: Presenter of a football-focused YouTube channel.
Strictly Stars Set for It Takes Two Appearance
Walters and Škorjanec are due to appear on Strictly It Takes Two on Monday at 6.30pm, following their elimination from the main competition.
